Second Chances Reality: Beat the System
by BlueRowley
Summary: Harry is sick of his father telling him what to do all the time. Together, Harry and Severus come up with a plan to give Harry a "no parental control" day. How well will Harry handle life without his father telling him what to do? Can he beat the system? How far will Severus allow his son to go? A one-shot in the Second Chances Reality.


So, by request, a one-shot where Harry tells his father to stop telling him what to do. Harry is seven years old.

* * *

"Harry, eat your vegetables."

"All of them, young man."

"It's time for a bath. Put your coloring away."

"Brush your teeth."

"Do it again – the right way."

"Your hair still isn't dry. I told you to take a towel to it."

"Do not give me your cheek. Here, let me brush it for you."

"Hold still, I'm not pulling that hard!"

Harry sighed and crossed his arms as he waited for his father to finish brushing his hair, enduring the hair pulling torture. Do this, do that, don't touch that, don't say that, hold still – it was just one command after another. What gave the man any right to be controlling over him? Severus might be his father, but Harry had rights, too – didn't he?

"There," Severus said, running his hand through Harry's hair. "Much better. Now get in bed."

"I don't want to get in bed!" Harry decided. "It's too early. I can still see light outside."

"That's because it's July," Severus reminded. "It's almost nine-thirty and you know very well what your bedtime is."

"Dark is bedtime. It's not dark out, so I'm not going to sleep."

"It's dark enough. Now go get in bed before I dose you with a sleeping draught."

Harry stomped his foot and marched over to his bed.

"You're not the boss of me, you know!" he shouted as he jumped up on his bed. "Stop telling me what to do all the time!"

"I am your father," Severus said, walking up to the bed and pushing on Harry's chest until the boy was lying back. "It is my job to tell you what to do."

"Says who?" Harry pouted.

"Says life. Now it's time to go to sleep."

"I don't like life then! I don't need you telling me what to do all the time or following your rules. I can make my own rules and do just fine!"

"Is that so?" Severus gave his son an amused look. "You want to break family traditions, essentially."

"Parents can't always be in control," Harry said, frowning up at his father with a determined look.

"You think you can beat the system?"

"What system?"

"I mean break the rules of life's simplest family structure."

"I can . . . beat the system."

"I'd like to see you try. Very well, for one day, I will refrain from telling you what to do. You can make your own rules and follow those as you please."

"Really?" Harry said, sitting up on his bed.

"Really. However, three of your rules must be to stay out of my potions lab, to be inside the house by no later than eight, and to stay on this property at all times."

"Okay," Harry nodded. "Those are my first three rules then."

"Tomorrow will be an interesting day. Lie down, time to sleep."

"I thought you weren't going to tell me what to do anymore," Harry pouted as he laid down and allowed Severus to tuck him in.

"Beginning tomorrow," Severus clarified. "Let me smother you in love before then, alright?"

Severus kissed the side of Harry's face several times playfully while the boy laughed and squirmed under the blanket. "Goodnight, Harry."

"Night."

Harry's eyes fluttered open the next morning. He yawned and glanced at the tall clock by his dresser. The hands read: 8:55. Harry blinked at that and double checked. Strange. Severus usually woke him up around eight in the morning. Did his father forget to do that for the first time in history?

Last night's conversation rushed to his memories and Harry smiled. Severus didn't wake him because that would be telling Harry to wake up – which was telling him to do something. Today was all about doing whatever he wanted – making his own rules and enjoying the day with no parental control.

Harry decided to skip changing into clothes (and brushing his teeth) and skipped down the stairs in his pajamas. He found his father at the dining table reading the Daily Prophet. Severus looked up at him as he entered.

"Morning, Sleeping Beauty," Severus greeted.

"Morning, Dad."

"Couldn't be bothered with throwing on some clothes, could you?"

"Nope. What's for breakfast?"

"I've already eaten. What are you having?"

"Oh," Harry scrunched his face in thought, then asked, "You didn't wait for me?"

"I wasn't sure how long you'd sleep in and I wasn't going to wait all morning. Feel free to make whatever you wish. There's cereal in the pantry."

Harry decided that that would be the easiest to make for himself. He didn't want to risk burning himself at the stove to make scrambled eggs. Besides, he wasn't that good at cracking them and Severus showed no interest in helping him with anything.

Harry poured some Cheerios and sat at the table and ate his cereal. At this point, Severus would usually tell him if there were any plans for the day. Severus remained silent. It was . . . rather awkward. But Harry quickly finished his cereal and decided to turn on the TV to watch morning cartoons. He turned up the volume loud and grabbed some action figures as he watched He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, reenacting some of the scenes.

After a few episodes played and some girly show came on, Harry turned off the TV and ran outside to play on his playset. It was nice having no one to answer to. Though nothing seemed to have changed much besides the fact that Severus hadn't yelled at him to turn the TV down or to not slam the door or slow down. Harry enjoyed his newfound freedom as he hung upside down on the monkey bars. It was a little windy that day, but that only added to the fun.

After he bored of the playground, Harry ran back inside to find something else to do. He noticed Severus walking down the stairs with a new container of floo powder to put near the fireplace. After setting the container down, Severus picked up a handful of the powder and stepped into the fireplace.

"Wait!" Harry yelled, running forward.

Severus waited patiently.

"Where are you going?"

"I need to run to Hogsmeade to pick up some ingredients I ordered."

"I'm going with you, right?"

"How can you? You're not even ready to leave. You're still your night clothes and barefoot. You went outside barefoot?"

Severus frowned down at Harry's dirty feet.

"So?" Harry rubbed his feet on each other. "You never said . . ."

"Said what, Harry?"

Harry decided against his original thought. Of course Severus never said anything. That was the point of his no parent control day.

"I can get ready. Right now."

"I'm sure you can. But I am leaving. Right now."

"You can't leave me here alone!"

"Why not? It wouldn't matter if I was here or not, you'd do whatever you wanted either way."

"Take me with you!"

Severus glared down at Harry, opening his mouth as if to reprimand Harry's tone. However, he simply threw down the powder and called out his destination, vanishing in the green flames, leaving Harry alone in the house.

"Dad! "Harry cried. He had never been completely alone before – his father was always with him. Harry felt tears in his eyes but he wiped them away and glared at the floo. He could take care of himself. Severus would be back soon and Harry would scold the man and make sure that his father knew to never leave him alone again.

Harry ran to the front door to go back outside. However, no matter how hard he pulled, the door wouldn't open. Some kind of locking spell must have activated when Severus left – but from the inside? Harry pouted but decided to look for something to do inside. His father's potions lab crossed his mind. Maybe he could break that one rule and teach Severus why he should have never left him alone.

Harry ran over to the lab door and tried to open it, but it was locked as well. Harry guessed that Severus must have locked the lab as a precaution while he was out.

But that was cheating!

But then again, Harry agreed that one of the rules for today was to stay out of his father's lab. So therefore, locking the door was reinforcing the rule. It still wasn't fair. A day of no parent rules should include everything! Why did he agree to that stupid arrangement?

A loud snapping noise caught his attention.

It sounded like it was coming from the basement. Harry pressed his ear against the door and listened.

Snap! Snap-snap-snap! Snap!

Harry pushed away from the door and backed away. What was that noise? Could it be a monster that only showed itself when adults were no longer near, attacking defenseless children? Harry thought about one cartoon he had watched where monsters entered the human world through doors that led to a child's room, where they would scare the child and collect his or her screams for energy in their own world. If that was the kind of monster downstairs in his father's lab, it was never going to get his screams.

Snap! Snap!

Harry ran away from the lab door, up the stairs, and into his room. He grabbed his stuffed tiger toy, Whisker, and sat up on his bed, holding the toy close for comfort. Perhaps, if the monster found him in his room, then some accidental magic might turn Whisker into a real tiger that would protect him from harm.

It was quiet for a while. Far quieter than what Harry was used to. Harry realized that if a monster was going to try and scare him, it might try and enter through his closet door! Or crawl out from under his bed! There were so many places for monsters to hide in his room.

Harry watched his closet door warily. He thought he could hear noises from inside. He hugged Whisker closer.

Suddenly, the door slowly creaked open on its own, just a crack, but the noise and the sudden movement sent Harry flying out of his room and down the hall. He pushed open his father's room door, glad it wasn't locked and slammed it behind him. Holding Whisker close, Harry took deep breaths and listened for any sounds.

No monster would be stupid enough to enter an adult's room, Harry figured. Being inside Severus's room calmed him slightly. He felt safer as he crawled in Severus's bed and laid down, wrapping himself in the thick, dark blankets. Everything smelled like fresh, earthy ingredients, spices, and just a hint of soap. Just like Severus. Harry closed his eyes and snuggled deeper into the pillows.

* * *

"Harry . . ." whispered a deep voice.

Harry could feel a hand carding through his hair. He blinked and opened his eyes, looking up at Severus. His father was standing by the bed, looking down at him.

"I believe you've slept more today than you have all summer," Severus smiled.

Harry frowned at the man and pulled away from him, rolling out of the bed on the other side. Severus seemed taken back by the action.

"You left me here all alone!" Harry shouted.

"You weren't ready to leave," Severus reminded. "And you're still in your pajamas."

"That's not the point!"

"Then what is?"

"You left me here by myself. I was scared! There was something in the basement and I was here alone!"

"There's nothing in the basement," Severus shook his head at him.

"There was! A monster! It was making loud noises!"

"I left a potion boiling down there. The boiling bubbles tend to make a snapping sound when they pop. There's nothing else down there. No monsters."

"Then in my room! In the closet! It opened the door!"

"Did you see a monster or did the door simply open?"

"It opened and I ran."

"I'm sure it was just a draft, Harry. It's windy out. You were safe."

Severus rounded the bed and wrapped his arms around the small boy.

"I'm sorry, Harry. It was not my intent to frighten you."

Harry pulled out of his father's arms and left the man's bedroom. He didn't want comfort after what Severus had put him through. He went back to his room, noting that the door was still open. He peeked into the closet. It was empty. Shutting the door, Harry sat on his own bed.

He could hear Severus walk down the stairs and noises sounded in the kitchen. Harry's stomach growled and he jumped off his bed, leaving Whisker behind. He would not miss lunch this time. Joining his father at the dining table, Severus did set a plate of food down in front of him. Lettuce, tomato, and pancetta sandwiches with celery sticks and apple slices. A glass of lemonade was set by his plate. Harry happily ate the sandwich and downed the refreshing, cold lemonade. He was still mad at his father, and after finishing the sandwich, he stood to leave.

"Harry," Severus began, looking down at the untouched celery and apples.

"What?" Harry questioned. "I'm full and you can't tell me what to do anyway."

Severus frowned at Harry before looking back down at the potions book he was skimming through. Harry took that as permission to leave. Not that he needed permission any way.

Harry decided to go back outside. He climbed the monkey bars again, pulling himself up to stand on the bars and tightrope walk. He waved his arms for balance. He had done this once before, only to have his father yell at him for risking his neck and to get down. Severus couldn't yell at him now.

Harry successfully made it across the monkey bars and he turned and began to walk back. The wind blew with strong force and Harry waved his arms for extra balance, pausing to catch himself. The wind stopped and Harry regained his balance. Taking a deep breath, he moved his foot to step forward.

Then slipped.

He didn't realize he had fallen until the ground smacked him hard in the chest, knocking the breath out of him. His hands and knees stung from where they were scratched up and his wrist burned and ached. He tried to breath again, but it was as if his lungs had forgotten how to expand. Finally, he could breathe.

A loud crack and Severus was standing above him, reaching down to pull him up.

"Are you alright?" Severus asked, looking over his son for any serious injuries.

"I'm okay," Harry said. He pointed at his knees and showed his father his hands. "These hurt though. What do I do?"

"I have . . ." Severus began before pausing mid-sentence. He slowly glanced over Harry one last time before stepping back. "I don't know. What should you do?"

"I asked you first!"

"But you don't want my help. You don't want me telling you what to do. A day without no parent rules. What should you do?"

Harry felt tears in his eyes. Why wasn't Severus taking his injuries more seriously. His wrist was still burning and his hands and knees stung. His chest still ached from the fall and now his head was starting to hurt from forcing back the tears.

"I should clean them," Harry decided. "With soap and water."

Harry walked past his father and to the house. He entered the bathroom and held his stinging hands under the running faucet. When he used soap, however, it made his hands sting more. He hissed and rinsed his hands with water, quickly getting rid of the soap. He didn't bother with his knees and looked for Severus again.

"Dad," Harry called to him as he found the man in the living room, sitting on the couch. "It hurts too much. I can't use soap and water."

"I think the correct phrase is won't use soap and water," Severus said. "Then what should you do?"

"I don't know!" Harry said, his eyes watering more. His wrist ached even more and felt stiff. His chest still twinged each time he took a breath in. His head hurt even more. His knees still stung, though his hands felt a bit better, but moving them made them hurt. "Everything hurts."

"You chose to walk on the monkey bars."

"I know! It was stupid. But I don't know what to do now."

"You don't have the slightest idea?"

Harry threw himself down on the floor in front of the couch, kicking his feet. Why was everything so difficult? Why couldn't Severus just make him feel better? Why had he been stupid enough to play on the monkey bars as he had done? Harry wiped at the tears rolling down his cheeks. Dropping to the ground hurt him even more and now he had made everything even worse. Today had been the worst day ever! From Severus leaving him, the monsters in the house, falling off the monkey bars – and now his father refusing to help him. It was too much.

"Help me, Dad!" Harry cried, kicking his feet again. "What do I do?"

"You told me to stop telling you what to do."

"But I need you. My head hurts! My everything hurts! Tell me what to do!"

"But your day isn't over yet. You'd be ending your day of no rules."

"I don't care! Help me! Tell me what to do! Tell me!"

"Alright. Stop that and come here."

Harry stopped kicking his feet and quickly scrambled to his feet and over to his father, ready to seek out the man's comfort and healing hands. Severus summoned a jar with a white cream and opened it. He sat Harry next to him on the couch and began rubbing the substance into Harry's hands. They felt better immediately and Harry offered a small smile, sniffing slightly.

"I'd remind you about the dangers of standing on those bars," Severus said, rubbing the cream into Harry's knees, "but I think you've figured them out for yourself."

Harry nodded and watched as the scratches on his palms and knees closed up.

"Let me see your wrist. It looks swollen."

Harry held out his hand and winced as Severus felt around the sore area.

"It doesn't feel broken, but I believe you sprained it. Here, take this potion and that'll heal up by tomorrow morning. Just try not to move it around so much. This potion will relieve any pain in your body. Slowly drink them, Harry."

Harry accepted the potions his father summoned and slowed down his chugging them at Severus's cautioning. He leaned against his father and handed the small vials back. Severus banished them and wrapped his arms around his son.

"I'm sorry for not helping you sooner, but I hope you've learned a lesson from all of this. First of all, as I've said before, I am your father and it is my responsibility to tell you what to do and make sure you are safe and well cared for. You need me to do that for you, Harry. I am not trying to control every bit of your life just because I can. I am here to help you grow and learn and raise you to be a bright, young man. I know it may be much to understand but I only want what's best for you."

Severus rubbed his hand on Harry's back comfortingly. Harry yawned and rubbed his eyes. It was a lot to understand for his young mind, but he did learn that he did need his father telling him what to do, as much as he hated it sometimes.

"And just so you know, you will be eating all of your food tonight," Severus said, resting his head against Harry's. "All of your broccoli and cauliflower. I'll throw cheese on them if it helps."

Harry made a face. Not even creamy cheese made those vegetables taste any better.

"Are you feeling better?" Severus asked, brushing hair out of Harry's face. "I know today has been terrible. I didn't think this would be so difficult to play out. Leaving you here worried me as much as it frightened you. And my heart stopped when you fell off those bars."

Harry nodded. "I'm better. This was the worst day of my life!"

Severus chuckled loudly and Harry frowned. What was so funny about that?

"I didn't beat the system," Harry pouted.

"Don't worry, you did," Severus reassured. "You just didn't make it last the whole day."

"That's okay," Harry said. "I like you telling me what to do anyways. You talk more to me."

"Trust me, I would have said a lot more to you today about your attitude and tone with me," Severus smirked, "but I figured it was all a part of the learning process."

Harry stuck his tongue out at Severus earning a "Cheeky" from his father.

* * *

For the record, I would not recommend trying out this lesson of no rules for a day. Results may vary. Haha! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it!


End file.
